rehfuss



(No Model.) 2'Sheets-Sheet 1. J. FITZ- 85 G.,[ J. G. & M. O. REHPUSS.

HAT BRIM GURLING MACHINE.

Patented Aug. 19, 1890.

r e w z 4 2 Sheets-Shet 2. J. PITZ & G., J. G. & M. O. RBHPUSS.

(No Model.)

HAT BRIM GURLING. MACHINE.

1 Med Aug. 19, 1890.

Wit/pass es UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN FITZ, GEORGE REHFUSS, JOHN GEORGE REHFUSS, AND MARTIN O. REHFUSS,OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS, BY DIRECT AND MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO SAID FITZ, AND EVAN MORRIS, OF SAME PLACE.

HAT-BRlM-CURLING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 434,438, dated August19, 1890.

Application filed April 3, 1888. Serial No. 269,475. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN FITZ, GEORGE REHFUSS, JOHN GEORGE REHrUss, andMAR- TIN O. REHFUSS, all citizens of the United States,and residents ofPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania, have invented. certain Improvements inHat-Brim-Ourling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

One object of our invention is to so construct a hat-brim ironing orcurling machine that the brims will be permanently set by the operationof the machine, no supplemental ironing, heating, or shaping of the brimby hand being necessary, a further object being to provide simple andefficient means for op 'erating the Various parts of the machine. Theseobjects we attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a longitudinalsection on the line 1 2, Fig. 3, of a hatrbrim ironing or curlingmachine constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 2 is atransverse section on the line 3 4, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a sectionalplan view on the line 5 6, Fig. 2.

We may state in the outset that our improved machine differs in itsoperation from others with which we are familiar in that it does notrely upon the imparting of heavy pressure to the brim by means of colddies to effect the curling or shaping of the brim and the fixing orsetting of the same in shape, the curling and setting of the brim in ourimproved machine being effected by shrinking the brim into the propershape by the application of heat and moisture thereto and lightlypressing it over the forming dies or curls, the brim after beingproperly shrunk into form over these dies or curls being then confineduntil it has become cool. We find that by this means the shape or formof the curled portion of the brim is permanently fixed or set, whereasbrims shaped under pressure by cold dies are likely to lose their shapein a short time, supplementary treatment and manipulation by hand beingnecessary in order to insure the retention by the curls of the shapewhich has been given to them in the machine.

Having thus set forth the general features of the invention, we will nowproceed to describe the special construction of the machine we havedevised.

A is the base-plate of the machine, mounted on suitable legs a, andsecured to this baseplate are two dovetailed guides 17 I), extendingtransversely across the machine. To these guides are adapted the basesof opposite sliding frames 13 B, which carry the curling or ironingblocks 0 0, described hereinafter, each of the frames 13 having a rackc, and the two racks being arranged side by side, but a short distanceapart. Meshing with these racks are two pinions d d, carried bylongitudinal shafts D D, adapted to suitable bearings c e on thebase-plate A of the machine, one of these shafts (the shaft D in thepresent instance) being provided with a handle D The pinions d (1 notonly mesh with the racks c 0 but also with each other, as will benoticed on referring to Figs. 1 and 3, the pinions being wider thantheir racks, so as to overlap and engage with each other; hence when theshaft D is turned the pinion d of the same not only moves its rack butalso retates the pinion d and shaft D, and hence moves the other rack inthe opposite direction, so that both side frames B B are movedsimultaneously toward or from each other.

E is a central plate carrying the lower shaping-die F and the hat-blockG, said plate having on the under side studs f, adapted to sockets g onthe base-plate A, and supported upon suitable springs therein, the lowerends of the studs being secured to a frame M, which can be depressed bymeans of a lever M.

At the rear of the platcA are two brackets I I, to which is hung an armJ, preferably yoked, as shown, and provided with a suitable handle j,and pivoted at i to said arm J is a ring K, which conforms to theoutline of the hat-brim and follows the dip of the same at front andrear.

The ironing or curling blocks 0 O are hollow, as shown, and steam isadmitted to these hollow blocks through pipes m m, or in any othersuitable manner, in order to maintain said blocks in a highly-heatedcondition. The

blocks 0 have at each end projecting plates which overlap each other andserve to bend the brim over the ends of the curls H as the blocks aremoved toward each other, the projections being sufficiently heated byreason of their connection with the blocks.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The hat having had its brimfirst heated in any of the usual ways, so as to soften it, it is placed,as shown by the outline on the drawings, upon the lower shapingdie F,while the blocks C C are moved apart from each other, and the upper diesor curls H are then placed upon the brim, so as to depress it onto theshaping-die F, the preliminary softening of the brim permitting this tobe readily done. The edges of the brim are then moistened, and theheated ironing or curling blocks 0 are moved toward each other, so as tobend the projecting edge of the brim inward over the curls II, thecombined effect of the heat and moisture being to eifect the shrinkingof the material of which the curl of the brim is composed. If necessary,in order to effect the thorough shrinking of the curl of the brim, themoistening and heating may be repeated as many times as desired, theblocks 0 being withdrawn to permit access to the brim, and being againmoved inward over the same after the exposed portion has been properlymoistened. After the proper curling of the brim has been effected, theblocks C are withdrawn and the ring K lowered onto the brim so as toretain the curl in proper shape while the brim is cooling, the ring atthe same time expediting the cooling of the brim, owing to the fact thatits temperature is much lower than that of said brim.

\Vhile the brim is being cooled in one machine, the shaping and curlingof a brim may be effected on another machine, so that no time is lost,one workman attending to both machines.

Although we have shown and described the blocks 0 as heated by steam, itwill be evident that they may be heated by gas, hot water, hot air, orby means of inserted metal blocks or slabs of the proper temperature.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patcut, is-

1. The combination, in a hat-brim ironing or curling machine, of theshaping-dies, the curls, and laterally-sliding heated blocks for bendingthe brim over said curls, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, in a hat-brim curling or ironing machine, of theshaping-dies, the curls, the heated blocks for bending the brim oversaid curls, and a cooling-ring conforming to the shape of the brim, andadapted to bear upon the curled portion of said brim on the removal ofthe curling-blocks, all substantially as specified.

3. The combination of the shafts D D, having wide pinions (l d meshingwith each other, side blocks having racks c 0, one engaging with onepinion and the other with the other pinion, and mechanism for rotatingone of said shafts, substantially as described.

4:. The combination, in a hat-brim curling or ironing machine, of theshapingdie, the curls, the side blocks, and a pivoted arm .l, carrying acooling-ring K in such a position that it can be depressed to rest uponthe curled brim of the hat, all substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names 'to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses:

JOHN FITZ. GEO. REHFUSS. J. GEO. REHFUSS. MARTIN O. REHFUSS.\IVlilllGSSGS! WILLIAM D. CONNER, HARRY SMITH.

